Sydney's Burwood council just made rooftop gardens compulsory

Sydney’s Burwood Council is leading the way for the environment with a new law which will see all new residential developments in the area featuring compulsory rooftop gardens— effective immediately.

Burwood, a booming suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, has seen fourteen towers approved over the past year alone, and according to the Greater Sydney Commission, this is set to continue with the 2600 new dwellings to be created over the next five years, which will add another 18,700 new residents to the area by 2036.

“Apartment living will be the norm in the next 20-30 years so we want to create a real community in these spaces”, Mr Faker, Mayor of Burwood council said to the Daily Telegraph on the bold move to keep the city green.

The green ruling means all new developments must have at least 50 per cent of their roof area filled with grass, shrubs or trees. Also, residents will have access to these garden areas wherever possible. Planter boxes are to be located on the perimeter of the rooftop and must allow for growth of mature plants.

“These areas are not just for a quiet coffee or sun-baking — we want people to look out at the skyline and see green instead of big lift wells and air-conditioning motors,” Mr Faker said.

Rooftop gardens are becoming quite the feature for both apartment buildings and freestanding homes, having just been featured on this season’s The Block.